The teenage striker Callum Ball and Paul Green scored early in the first half as Derby closed in on the Championship's top six with a second successive win over the Christmas period.

Ball, 19, claimed his second senior goal from the edge of the penalty area in the second minute and midfielder Green, who returned from a long-term knee injury in November, headed his first goal in more than a year eight minutes later.

Frank Nouble pulled one back for West Ham with a rasping drive just before the break, but Nigel Clough's side created other chances and defended valiantly in the second half, to claim another prized scalp after their 1-0 Boxing Day win over Leeds.

Derby, who have now won three of their last four league games, were unchanged from the side that beat Leeds, while the West Ham manager, Sam Allardyce, was without eight of his first-team players. Skipper Kevin Nolan, winger Julien Faubert, defender George McCartney and midfielder Jack Collison all missed outbecause of suspension, while Abdoulaye Faye (thigh), Guy Demel (thigh), Matt Taylor (calf) and David Bentley (knee) are injured. Midfielder Gary O'Neil and striker Nouble made their first league appearances of the season for West Ham, but the visitors were caught cold by Derby, who raced into an early lead. Nathan Tyson slipped the ball inside from the right of the penalty area and Ball rammed an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 18 yards out.

Derby doubled their advantage when left-back Gareth Roberts stormed forward and supplied a fine cross for his former Doncaster team-mate Green to head the ball firmly downwards, beyond his namesake Robert into the bottom corner in the 10th minute.

West Ham midfielder Mark Noble, skipper in Nolan's absence, lifted his side with a 25-yard shot that flew just wide and Papa Bouba Diop headed over the crossbar. Frederic Piquionne also went close with a header and, at the other end, Derby striker Jamie Ward flashed two shots just off target.

The Derby keeper Frank Fielding twice saved brilliantly to deny Nouble and O'Neil in quick succession in the 39th minute, but could do nothing to prevent the former reducing the deficit three minutes later. Piquionne played the ball inside from the left and Nouble arrowed a shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

Derby midfielder Craig Bryson fired wide early in the second half and Ball dragged his effort off target from a similar distance inside the area.

Allardyce sent on strikers Sam Baldock and Carlton Cole with an hour gone, but it was Derby who threatened to add to their lead. Green's goalbound header from John Brayford's cross was blocked by the West Ham defender James Tomkins and Ward lashed a shot wide from the edge of the area.

Noble's late corner forced Fielding into another sprawling save and Cole headed wide in the 90th minute, but Derby held on. PA